


Diesel-Fueled Destiny

by katsudonnnnnnnnnn



Category: Yuri!!! on Ice (Anime)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Located in US, Conductor/Homeless Man, Freight Trains, Homeless AU, M/M, Trains AU
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-30
Updated: 2018-01-30
Packaged: 2019-03-11 08:58:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 12,003
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13520916
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/katsudonnnnnnnnnn/pseuds/katsudonnnnnnnnnn
Summary: Yuuri Katsuki is a homeless man living in the city of Edison Park. He seeks shelter on a boxcar, and when Viktor Nikiforov, the conductor, finds him, he feels this overwhelming urge to take him under his wing and protect him...





	1. Preface

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this story! I actually started this one in about September 2017 but I've had really bad writer's block LOL  
> I don't own YOI. I just wrote this fanfic for fun, it's not supposed to be infringement in any way. YOI belongs to Kubo Mitsorou (if I spelled that wrong please let me know and I'll fix it) and I don't remember the name of the animation studio (sorry) but them too.

Downtown Edison Park was never a very pleasant place to be. The Northern city was usually cold most times of the year, and downtown was the northernmost part of the city. In addition to being the first to get hit by cold fronts, it was also smelly. This city had been around since the late 1800s, and the majority of the buildings downtown were still functional- most notably the factories and oil refineries. This highly industrial area of Edison Park had come to be known as “Smokestack Square”.   
It wasn't just the smell and cold that made this place unpleasant. Smokestack Square was known for being full of poverty, and crime too. The neighborhoods around it had dilapidated houses, largely inhabited by gangs, drug dealers and criminals. Nobody ever visited these neighborhoods if they had a choice, and people always locked their doors and drove a mile or two above the speed limit when passing through.   
And nobody knew just how unpleasant being in Smokestack Square was better than Yuuri Katsuki. He’d been poor his whole life, especially when his family’s hotel went under, but he’d only been homeless for the past 3 years. Forced to abandon going to college, and even having to give up figure skating due to financial woes, he moved off by himself to a house on Pittman Street- more commonly known as The Pitts- on account of these houses being the cheapest in all of Edison Park. The meager earnings he got from working at a run-down diner just between where The Pitts ended and where Smokestack Square began- a little dive called Rusty’s on Sprocket Avenue- eventually were no longer enough to pay the rent. Yuuri was now on the street, and couldn’t figure out how everything had gone downhill so fast for him. When his family had first moved to Edison Park from Japan, they were doing okay, but within the span of just 8 years, Yuuri ended up homeless. Naturally, there was no way he was going to stay in The Pitts, although Smokestack Square wasn’t much more cheerful. It was a good deal safer, though, on account of the high traffic going to and from the factories.   
But in these 3 years he’d been homeless, he’d also learned a lot about the streets. Yuuri hadn’t ever gotten an appreciation for how terrible this part of town was until this was where he was forced to stay. He noticed that if you left the exact center of downtown and approached any of the neighborhoods around it, the closer to the neighborhoods you were, the more trash and graffiti you would see. He also found that in a pinch, a tarp lined with cardboard boxes made a decent blanket; that there were a few edible wild plants growing in the empty land plot and forest out by the railroad depot; and that it was never a good idea to set up shelter by a factory. (This last lesson was learned by Yuuri when he woke up the next morning smelling like soot, coughing and covered with ash.)


	2. One

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I know that the chapter saying "Chapter 2: One" is kinda confusing but unfortunately I don't think AO3 will let you designate the first chapter as a preface. But oh well.

It had been only a few minutes after getting kicked out of the library, one of Yuuri's favorite places to take shelter from the elements in, at closing time that the storm started. Only a few tiny drops had fallen before the sky completely opened up and rain violently pounded against the buildings and Yuuri while cold wind blew and chilled him to his bones. He had run about halfway down Girders Road until he finally found a place that was still open that he could wait out the storm in- the post office. Shivering and wet, Yuuri trudged indoors. The gruff man sitting at the front desk got up, shaking his head.  
“Sorry man,” he grumbled, locking up a safe under the counter. “You might as well go back outside. We're closing.”  
“You're joking,” Yuuri gasped.  
“Nope, I'm not,” the man said. “Tough luck for both of us, this storm happening at night… If it makes you feel better I gotta walk home.”  
Yuuri ran through the freezing rain and wind back to the Italian restaurant he usually slept behind- only to find that everything in that alleyway was gone, save for the Dumpster loudly screeching as the wind blew it across the pavement. Not that his makeshift shelter would have helped any in this kind of rain. He took off towards the other side of town, sprinting into the wind. He was miserable, and the wind sometimes even knocked him over, but that just further reminded Yuuri he needed to find somewhere at all to hide. He thought maybe he could hide under the bridge that brought Sprocket Avenue around from The Pitts into a similar neighborhood, Ash Terrace. Unfortunately for Yuuri, a train was stopped on the tracks about halfway down the street, blocking the path. Because of the rain in Yuuri's glasses, he didn't see it until he ran directly into the side of a chemical car. Desperate, Yuuri ran alongside the train, trying to find the end of it so he could go around it. However, Yuuri found something better. One of the boxcars had its door open, and the car seemed to be mostly empty. Tired, cold, wet and generally miserable, Yuuri decided to climb up into the boxcar instead of sitting under the overpass. The car smelled like metal and cardboard, and was completely empty, save for a few cardboard boxes. The rain pounding on the roof of the car would have been somewhat relaxing if he wasn't worrying about how he would go about finding new shelter, since his old one had been demolished. Yuuri sat in the corner, huddled up against a box, and eventually fell asleep, thinking about alternatives to the lean-to he had constructed out of sheet metal.  
Yuuri woke up later to a rumbling noise, and the feeling of being shaken.   
No. It wasn't a rumbling noise. It was more of a metal scraping, mixed with a sort of...chugging!!  
Yuuri tried to get up, but found that standing in a moving boxcar was nearly impossible. He wriggled to a position where he could look out the door, and saw a town he didn't recognize zipping by. He rolled over onto his back, breathing hard. He tried to calm himself down as he stared at the ceiling, but here he was, on a train, being taken to some location he didn't recognize. He didn't really have a reason to stay in Edison Park- his family had kind of dispersed to other cities since their hotel had gone bankrupt- but he didn't want to deal with getting lost in addition to not having money, a house or food! Yuuri never really liked traveling, and as he watched the bare dirt by the tracks zip by, he knew bailing right here wasn't an option, unless he wanted to stumble when he jumped and end up underneath the train he was trying to escape. He was just going to have to- literally- ride it out until the train stopped again.   
Yuuri crawled across the floor and sat against the wall of the car, his arm on a box. He wasn't directly across from the door but he was still in a position where he could see. He figured he might as well enjoy the view while he was being forcibly relocated.  
Yuuri hadn't ever thought about how much ground a freight train covered in one day before today. He’d seen 3 cities, 5 expanses of empty rural land, a lake, a river with a beautiful bridge, and a mountain all within the timeframe of a few hours. His legs were falling asleep from sitting on the hard metal floor for so long but there wasn't anything else he could sit on.


	3. Two

The sun was already up by the time the train stopped in Greenville, at an isolated railyard far from pretty much everything else. The labor-intensive process of changing out and loading the cars had begun, which meant that Viktor Nikiforov, the morning conductor, was outside with the other rail workers.  
Already Viktor had helped uncouple most of the cars but there were still a lot left. Next was a green, rusted old boxcar that had all kinds of graffiti art on it. Most of them were very artistic signatures, but there was one that was just a drawing of a stick figure holding a machine gun. He walked to where the car was connected to another car ahead of it and released the coupler. At one time, Viktor found this task incredibly difficult but now that he'd worked as a conductor at Chihoko Shipping Lines for some time now, he could lift the heavy connectors with ease.  
Inside the boxcar, the removal of the pin woke Yuuri up. He wasn't familiar with much having to do with railroads but he did know what that noise meant. He stuck his head out the door.   
“Wait, stop!!” Yuuri hollered. “I'm in here! Don't start the train!”   
That wasn't normal. Viktor stopped before pushing the car down the tracks and ran to the side where he heard the man holler. He opened the doors more. All he could see was a dark silhouette in one corner.   
“Who are you, and why are you here??” Viktor called out into the car.   
The silhouette came forwards, into the light. Behind his smudged glasses and a few stray strands of soft black hair that fell below his eyebrows were fearful yet captivating brown eyes. He had soft, attractive features to his round face, and a slender figure- somewhat scrawny but still with a sort of sensual masculine curvature to his body. His threadbare clothes- a stained white T-shirt with a button down shirt partially buttoned up over it with a khaki army jacket zipped up about halfway and navy blue pants, ripped almost to the middle of his calves- seemed to fit him almost like curtains. His gaunt figure was further shown off by how his legs seemed to look like toothpicks in his oversized, unlaced boots.   
“My name is Yuuri Katsuki,” he responded. “And I don't know how I got here! I just came in here out of the rain, then I wake up and we're moving! And I must have fallen asleep again…”   
“When?” Viktor asked. “And- and why did you come in here?”  
“When the train was stopped. I'm not a ninja, I couldn't have jumped onto a moving train!” Yuuri said. “I got in here because I don't have anywhere else to go. I don't know if you needed me to tell you this but I'm homeless. I couldn't have just stood around in all that rain and wind, and the train was blocking the path to the overpass, so here I am.”   
“Oh,” Viktor said. “I'm really sorry.”  
“I don't know whose fault it is, but it sure isn't yours,” Yuuri said. “I blame fate, and that one guy who slipped and fell in the penthouse bathroom and sued my parents to within an inch of their lives.”   
“Penthouse bathroom?” Viktor asked.  
“Before I was sleeping in boxcars and begging an Italian restaurant for cardboard boxes and stale breadsticks, my parents owned a hotel,” Yuuri said. “It wasn't anything too fancy, but clearly it wasn't fancy enough. The Katsuki Inn was only open a few years before it closed down. I'm not sure how the rest of my family is doing. They all went to other cities and I don't have any way to talk to them again. I miss them terribly...”  
“What is taking so long??” called out one of the workers. “You don't have to measure it!”  
“It'll just be another minute!” Viktor called out to them, then turned to Yuuri. “I'm really sorry, but-” Viktor hesitated. He didn't want to kick him out and leave him here, all alone at the railyard, but he couldn't stay here in the boxcar, either.  
“So...you need me to leave?” Yuuri asked. He stood up.  
“No,” Viktor said. He put his hands on his shoulders. “No, you're not going on the street, I'll make sure of this.” He let go of Yuuri.   
“Ok, let's just-” Yuuri said, starting for the open door and jumping down to the ground.   
“Wait-” Viktor whispered. It was too late. He had already walked out of earshot, to where some more workers were.  
“Hey!” one of the workers called out. “You're not supposed to be here!”   
Viktor ran to the other end of the train in time to see Yuuri being escorted to the gates.   
“This is a loading and unloading zone only! You can't be here unless you have a pass!” the other worker reprimanded him. “If you come back you're trespassing!”   
Yuuri stood there unsurely, leaning against the fence post and gazing at Viktor with a sort of hurt expression.   
Now that Yuuri had been kicked out, he didn't really have anywhere else to go. He wasn't going to risk having one of those workers call the cops on him if he made a break for the boxcar again, so he had little else to do but stand there and hope that maybe someone would tell him which way it was back to civilization- this railyard was exactly in the middle of nowhere, and Yuuri knew he couldn't survive in the woods for long if he didn't bring anything with him to hunt with. Yuuri was worried out of his mind now.  
Viktor noticed this, the expression of fear in his eyes, and turned back towards the workers, who had moved on to loading boxes on the car while talking about a football game. Without even stopping to think about his next action, he ran for the fence post.  
“Come with me,” Viktor said, grabbing Yuuri's hand.   
“Wait-” Yuuri started to protest. “Where are you taking me?”  
“I'm taking you with me, on the train,” Viktor said, hurriedly walking toward the engine and all the while keeping a wary eye on his surroundings. “You won't have to be stuck in the cold or go hungry anymore.”  
“But didn't they say I wasn't supposed to come back?” Yuuri asked.  
“You didn't come back, I brought you back,” Viktor said. “But it is true that Chihoko Shipping has a strict policy towards people on the property, which includes in the locomotives. I- I think what they don't know won't hurt them, because you're homeless and don't have anywhere else to go. But we've got to keep under the radar, okay?”   
“Okay,” Yuuri whispered.  
Viktor snuck off towards the front engine with Yuuri, and looked back. The workers were now working on loading up some different cars. Seeing that the coast was clear, he scrambled up the stairs to the cab door with Yuuri.  
“Hurry,” Viktor quietly said, opening the door, gently pushing him inside.   
“Just kind of sit out of plain sight,” Viktor said. “I'll be back soon. If- if anyone comes, hide.”  
“I will,” Yuuri said, closing the door. There sure didn't seem to be very many places to hide, besides pretty much just curling up into a ball in the corner and praying nobody looked there. It was true that there was lots of stuff in the cab area, but most of it was either valves or control panels, mounted to the wall and not giving him much room. Yuuri considered hiding under the chair, but not only would it not offer much protection, he also couldn't fit between the chair and side wall. This sure wasn't going to be easy. Just before Yuuri decided to risk getting stuck and hide by one of the control panels, he spotted a door on the wall, and opened it. Perfect- the lavatory was as good of a hiding place as any. He shut the door behind him, latched it and stood there in darkness and silence, just waiting.   
For Yuuri, neither darkness nor silence was a bad thing. Both of these gave him ample time alone with his thoughts- which, for once, weren't about whether or not he was going to be able to find shelter or eat today. For once, all Yuuri was able to do was think about how grateful he was that Viktor had found him.   
The silence didn't last too much longer, being broken by the cab door opening and footsteps.   
He heard static from a radio or walkie-talkie, followed by a voice he didn't recognize saying some numbers or something.   
“Okay,” Viktor said.   
Yuuri relaxed a little. It wasn't someone else who might come looking in the lavatory, it was Viktor.  
The cab door shut, and Viktor called out Yuuri's name.  
“Nobody else is here, right?” Yuuri asked timidly from behind the door.  
Viktor chuckled a little. “I didn't even think that you’d end up hiding in there, I thought you’d be in the engine room!” he said. “But yes, it's just us. You're safe.”   
Yuuri unlocked the door and stepped forward. “So- so what's going to happen now?” he asked.   
“Well, I'm going to take you with me on this run,” he answered. “You like seeing new places?”  
“Mm, not exactly,” Yuuri answered. “It definitely would be more enjoyable from in here than from in that boxcar, though.”   
“That's true,” Viktor laughed. “The inside of the train cab isn't particularly luxurious either, though, as you can see.”  
“Actually, ever since our hotel closed, this is the nicest setting I've been in. When I had somewhere to live it was ugly and in a terrible neighborhood,” Yuuri said. “Thanks.”   
“You're welcome… I wish there was some other way I could help you without having to take you places you didn't want to go, but I don't know what it would be,” Viktor sighed, staring out the windshield at the tracks ahead, elbows on the flat, desk-like area of the control panel.   
“It- it's mostly being lost outside in an unfamiliar setting I don't like,” Yuuri corrected. “It's just so scary…”   
“Yuuri, you haven't got a thing to worry about,” Viktor said, swiveling around in his chair to face the Japanese man. “You won't have to be lost outside with me around. I promise you, there's no way you'll be on the street again. I refuse to allow it.”   
“Wow,” Yuuri thought aloud. “No- nobody's ever been so nice to me before…”  
“You must have been hanging around the wrong people,” Viktor responded, turning around in his chair, back to the control panel. “because I think everyone deserves to be treated with kindness.”   
“So where are we going now?” Yuuri asked, leaning over Viktor's shoulder, looking at the controls. He had never seen so many buttons in his life!   
“We're on our way to Denver now,” Viktor answered.   
“And what comes after that?” Yuuri asked.  
“Then we'll come back here,” Viktor said. “You know, because my shift will be over. Plus at some point I'd like to have my car back. You can't see the parking lot from here, but my car’s parked out there like it always is. Pink convertible with black leather seat covers and a rhinestone steering wheel cover, in fact.”   
“Okay, and what's after that?” Yuuri asked.   
“I- I don't know, honestly,” Viktor replied, kind of shocked that he didn't have an answer. “It doesn't involve sleeping outside, I can say that much.”   
“Honestly, I've never been very spiritual,” Yuuri said. “But I think you must be some kind of angel…” Yuuri glanced down at the ID badge on Viktor's belt- “...Viktor.”  
“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Viktor responded, turning around in his chair. “Are you- are- are you coming onto me??? If so, you're most definitely wasting your time, because I'm not into dating or anything like that. You might as well go ahead and stop there.”  
Yuuri blushed. “No- no, I swear, honestly, I didn't mean-” he stammered.  
“Seriously. Don't,” Viktor said. “I'm married to my job and that's it. You’d have better luck flirting with the engine we're both standing in right now than with me.”   
“O- o- okay, bad choice of words,” Yuuri apologized. “I meant… I meant I believe in miracles now.”   
“That's good. As much as I believe you'll be a great boyfriend to someone, it's not going to be me,” Viktor replied, turning around again, and leaning forward to inspect the number on a dial.  
“That's just fine with me,” Yuuri said. “All I was trying to say was thanks.”  
“Well, then, you're welcome, but not welcome to try actually flirting with me,” Viktor said.   
There was an awkward pause. Yuuri knew he hadn't been trying to flirt with him, but it made sense that it sounded like that to Viktor. Although, why was Viktor so insistent on Yuuri not flirting with him? Just saying it once should have been sufficient, right?   
Uh-oh. Maybe Viktor was homophobic. That definitely wasn't good for Yuuri, who only liked other guys- but for now it wasn't really a big deal. It wasn't like Yuuri had brought his boyfriend with him or anything- or actually, that he even had one. He had been a little too busy with trying to survive to even think about that sort of thing. And besides, as long as Yuuri didn't mention it to him, there was no way Viktor would know.   
It was with deep embarrassment and self consciousness that Yuuri stood against the wall, quietly watching Viktor push lots of buttons and levers as he started the locomotive.   
Viktor, however, wasn't embarrassed at all. Totally absorbed in what he was currently doing, he’d nearly forgotten that the previous exchange with Yuuri had taken place. He realized he had almost forgotten also to write down the initial start up readings, and reached out for his notebook. It wasn't there.  
“Yuuri, could you hand me that file on the door?” he asked, turning to the side and extending his arm.  
Yuuri stared at Viktor's arm in shock. Right near the inside of his elbow was a tattoo of a rose with rainbow colored petals, and a small banner curled around its stem that read “Love is love”. “What's that?” he asked. He knew good and well what it was, though. It was a gay pride tattoo if he'd ever seen one.   
“This?” Viktor asked, raising his hand up a little and glancing at the tattoo. “Oh, I got this after attending my first pride parade. It actually wasn't as much fun as everyone else made it out to be- it was more like if some kind of political rally happened in the middle of the Brazilian Carnival. I was kind of in the background with a rainbow T-shirt on and waving a little flag around, and my friend Chris, who was the one who decided that now that I was openly gay I had to go with him because it's a rite of passage to attend one of these things after coming out, was one of the many guys there, dressed up like a Carnival dancer with platform shoes and feathers and makeup and all that. I didn't get that tattoo so much to commemorate having gone to the pride parade as much as it was to commemorate my coming out.”  
“So that- that means-” Yuuri stammered. “That means you're not really homophobic?”   
“No, of course not,” Viktor answered. “Why would you think I was? I just haven't felt like being in a relationship.”   
“I haven't really been able to put any thought into relationships either for a while now, either,” Yuuri observed, taking a clipboard off of the door and handing it to Viktor. “And even when I wasn't in this situation I still couldn't get a boyfriend.”   
“I get that, I've only ever had one boyfriend before,” Viktor said. “I've learned my lesson, believe me. Not doing that again. No, sir. I know I'd just get hurt again.”   
Viktor continued to take measurements and write down numbers until he started the train, and went off down the tracks towards their next destination.   
As they passed cities, forests, bridges, and all kinds of landscapes, Yuuri once again was made aware of how much ground trains really covered. It was sort of mind blowing, how far away he was from Edison Park.   
A network of streets were visible up ahead. As the cars zooming around the streets came into view, the railroad crossing lights started to flash.   
Viktor turned to Yuuri, smiling. “We're coming up to a crossing,” he said. “Would you do the honors?”  
“O- okay,” Yuuri said, studying the control board until he found a small metal lever with a picture of a bugle below it. Yuuri pressed on the lever, and the horn loudly sounded a long, somber note.  
“Was that okay?” Yuuri asked.  
“Perfect,” Viktor chuckled. “Again.”  
Yuuri pressed the switch again, grinning. It was like being 8 years old again- it was oddly empowering to know that he just made a thousand horsepower, several hundred ton machine do something, even something as mundane as just making the nearby joggers cover their ears and decide to stop running so close to the tracks.   
“It's a lot quieter in here than I would have thought,” Yuuri observed.  
“That's because the cab has noise dampening material in the walls,” Viktor said. “It's still audible, though, which makes it especially irritating when the horn gets stuck, like it did last September. Of all the days to not bring earplugs!”   
“Train rides are so much more interesting from this point of view,” Yuuri said.


	4. Three

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The chapter lengths are very inconsistent, sorry...

The massive train slowly squeaked to a stop in the rail yard. This one was far bigger than the one they had departed from, and it also was a good deal closer to civilization, with the city being just across a wooded hill from it.   
“Here we are, Yuuri. Denver, Colorado,” Viktor said.  
“Wow,” Yuuri gasped in wonder, looking out the window. “There aren't any mountains in Edison Park! This is beautiful.”  
“Okay, so I think here's what's going to happen: After we unhook all these cars, it'll be late, so we can get a hotel room somewhere here, then I'll take you with me again back to Greenville in the morning,” Viktor announced. “You'll have to hide in the lavatory again. There really isn't much of anywhere else to hide, is there?”   
“No, but I'll be fine,” Yuuri said, getting up and heading into the lavatory.  
“Okay then, I’ll be back.” Viktor closed the cab door behind him, leaving Yuuri alone in the silence.  
Yuuri closed the door to the lavatory, sighing and once again silently thanking Viktor and wondering exactly how everything he’d planned on doing- namely making sure Yuuri wasn’t ever going to be on the streets like he said- would work.   
Some indeterminable amount of time later, the cab door opened, followed by footsteps. Yuuri opened his mouth to call out Viktor’s name but decided against it, instead just holding his breath and waiting for this person to make some indication of whether or not they were Viktor.   
It seemed, though, like all this person was going to do was just shuffle papers around and move things. Yuuri sat there, silently waiting. The person on the other side of the door may or may not have been Viktor but there was no way for Yuuri to find out without possibly exposing himself to someone who wasn’t Viktor, risking getting thrown back out onto the street again- this time in an unfamiliar city!   
Outside the lavatory, Jean-Jacques Leroy, another engineer who normally spent his day on the back locomotives, often around the engine room, inspected the cab and took measurements. He tested the various levers to make sure everything was fully operational. Normally Viktor did this, right after uncoupling the old cars along with other engineers like JJ, but this time, he had run off and hurriedly muttered something about going to pick up dinner somewhere. JJ could have sworn that earlier, Viktor had said something about not being hungry. He decided not to think anything of it, and simply took the measurements for Viktor until he came back. He checked a dial, and sighed heavily. This part wasn’t as much fun to physical activity-loving JJ, though he continued this boring task anyway, unaware that there was a homeless man hiding in the lavatory.  
Yuuri tensed up upon hearing the groaning sigh. That wasn’t Viktor’s voice that he’d heard. What if someone else was going to drive the train? What if Viktor didn’t come back for him? What if this new engineer decided to use the lavatory? What if he found Yuuri and just put him out on the street?? This would be worse than before!  
Yuuri tried to control his now elevated breathing and heart rate, but as hard as he tried, he could still hear his own breathing, amplified in the tiny room. Surely this other engineer would be able to hear. After all, it didn’t seem like the lavatory was soundproofed. He couldn’t do anything except shake his long, stringy hair out of his eyes and try to force himself to breathe slower and quieter.   
JJ, now finished with the measurements, left, but Yuuri still refused to make a sound. Not until Viktor was back.  
After an agonizing wait, the cab door opened again. “Yuuri, is everything okay?” Viktor asked.  
The lavatory door burst open, and Yuuri ran out of it towards Viktor. “Thank goodness!!!!” he cried out. “Someone else was in here! I thought he was going to leave with me! Or that he was going to come in there, see me and throw me out!”   
“It's all right now, Yuuri,” Viktor said. “I'm here.”   
“What were you doing?” Yuuri asked.  
“Well, first of all, I had to go help out with linking the train cars, and then I had to clock out and rent a car here.” Viktor brushed his silver hair out of his eye and smiled, and took Yuuri by the hand, starting for the door. “Come on, let's go get something for dinner.”  
Yuuri tried to hold back his enthusiasm, but there was no denying how excited he was. He couldn't remember the last time he’d had an actual meal. Most of the little bit of food he had gotten on the streets in Edison Park consisted of stale breadsticks or other scraps fished from the trash at various restaurants, and wild plants if he was lucky.  
Viktor could see the joy in Yuuri's eyes. “You're pretty hungry, aren't you?” he asked, a twinkle in his eye. “Don't worry, I passed this really good burger place while I was getting the car, and we can go there, unless you want to go somewhere else.”  
“That sounds perfect!” Yuuri exclaimed. Already his stomach was growling. This was the first time in quite a long time that his next meal was guaranteed, let alone that he knew what it would be. And it was going to be fresh too!


	5. Four

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wish I could import directly from Google Docs. I mostly wrote it on my phone so I had to write it there. I mean, there are more tedious ways to do it, yeah, but the copying and pasting is a little tedious in and of itself.

Viktor couldn't help but giggle a little as he watched Yuuri wolf down the burger and fries Viktor had bought him at the diner.  
Hearing Viktor laughing, Yuuri attempted to force himself to slow down yet again, but he had been so hungry, all he had succeeded in doing was just eating at the same pace, but shrinking down into the booth and looking up at Viktor sheepishly while he ate.  
“Oh, no, no, I wasn't laughing at you, you're fine,” Viktor replied, sensing Yuuri's self-consciousness. “It's just… I'm just glad to see you happy and eating good food is all. Plus it's kind of...well, kind of cute. In a platonic way, of course.”  
Yuuri smiled a little bit, though he was still embarrassed about pigging out like this in front of Viktor, and the waitress and other patrons too, but mostly Viktor. It didn't matter that much to him, though- it mattered more that he was finally having an actual meal for once.  
Viktor watched Yuuri eat for a little while longer, then turned his attention up to the TV on the wall. What appeared to be some kind of figure skating competition was on.  
“Do you like figure skating, Yuuri?” Viktor asked.  
“I actually used to do it for a little while,” he answered after he’d finished the last of his fries, sighing contentedly. For the first time he could remember in a long time, he was full. He’d forgotten what it felt like to have had enough to eat.  
“I like watching it,” Viktor answered. “I actually used to play hockey, though. I wanted to be a famous hockey player! … But fate brought me here instead, and when we drove by a rail yard on the way to a competition I knew that whatever I wanted to do, there would be trains involved, with or without hockey!”  
“I...don't remember whether or not I wanted to skate professionally.” Yuuri struggled to recall but the memory just wasn't coming back. “But I kinda didn't have a choice. I almost had to drop out of high school to work but somehow I managed to get through it. Never went to college, though. It's way too expensive.”  
Viktor nodded. “I understand. I was hoping I'd get to go on a hockey scholarship but once again, you never know where fate will take you.”  
“I didn't expect that I'd be homeless!” Yuuri cried out. “Nor did I ever think that an engineer like you would do so much for me.”  
“I believe in just making the Earth a better place,” Viktor said, leaning back in the booth, shrugging off his black and chartreuse vest, with “Chihoko Shipping Lines” printed on the back, and folding it across his leg. “If everyone does at least one nice thing a day, humanity would be so much nicer. It doesn't even have to be anything big, like taking in a homeless man, it could just be something like holding a door for someone, or helping an old lady carry her groceries.”  
“Viktor?” Yuuri asked.  
“Hmm?”  
“I think we need more people like you in the world.” Yuuri patted Viktor's arm on the table. “If the world was full of kind souls like you, why, there wouldn't be any wars or poverty or anything like that!”  
“I'm not Mother Teresa!” Viktor laughed. “I'm just a train engineer. If I was totally magnanimous I wouldn't keep any of the money I didn't absolutely need to pay bills, if that! Instead I keep it. I buy normal stuff with it, like my Barbie car-- at least , that's what the neighbors call it-- and an Xbox! I don't want you thinking I'm some kind of larger than life figure who'll save the world from its own greed.”  
“I'm sorry, Viktor, but in my opinion you'll always be like Mother Teresa to me. After all, you did decide to take care of me,” Yuuri said. “That reminds me...what were you going to do with me once we got back to South Carolina? After we left here?”  
Viktor rested his head on his hands, thinking.  
“Well, I actually wasn't thinking that far out,” he admitted, chuckling nervously. “I guess we can explore our options when it's time.”  
“Whatever you think I should do is okay with me. But I do hope you'll visit me sometimes wherever I end up,” Yuuri adjusted his scuffed, cracked glasses, smiling a little. “You're the first real friend I've had since our hotel closed down.”  
“Of course I'll visit you, Yuuri. I consider you a pretty good guy too. Anyway, let's go back now, we need to get some sleep. The train is going to leave at 7 AM sharp,” Viktor said.


	6. Five

“You... have... poodle slippers,” Yuuri said, very matter-of-factly.   
Viktor looked down at his pastel blue and purple pajama pants, and brown poodle slippers, as he left the bathroom, a towel around his neck and his work uniform tucked under his arm.   
“I do…” Viktor wasn't sure where Yuuri was going with that.   
“I love poodles!!” Yuuri squealed. “I used to have a poodle myself!”   
“The only dogs I've ever owned have all been standard poodles! They're such smart animals, aren't they?” Viktor said.   
“And patient!” Yuuri agreed. “My sister, Mari, says that when I was little I used to sit on the floor and lean on our dog like he was a big beanbag chair, and he was okay with it.”   
“I've got a dog right now,” Viktor said, pulling his phone out of his suitcase. “Hold on just a second...ah, here it is!” He showed Yuuri a picture of a very fluffy, friendly-looking, light brown poodle.  
Yuuri's heart just melted at seeing that picture. Not only was it a truly cute dog, but the dog also looked just like how his dog might look today.   
“Your dog is so cute!” Yuuri cried out. “What's his or her name?”  
“His name is Makkachin.” Viktor stared at the picture of his dog forlornly. “I don't get to spend as much time at home with him as I'd like to but it's okay. Makkachin is just the sweetest little guy you'll ever meet. If you sit down anywhere he'll sit right in your lap. He's just a big cuddle bug!”   
“Wow, he sounds a lot like my dog,” Yuuri remarked. “Coincidentally my dog's name was Viktor too. I guess I must really like that name! Anyway he really liked being picked up. He was kind of shy at first but he warmed up to everyone pretty quickly. I really miss him…”   
“Well… what happened to him? If you don't mind me asking.” Viktor uncrossed his arms from his bare chest and sat down on one of the beds.   
“He- he passed away. I mean, I think it was an issue with his joints. But he had to be put down.. he's in a better place now, though. Even still, that doesn't change the fact that I miss him terribly,” Yuuri said.   
“I'm really sorry,” Viktor said. He hesitated, then he got up and hugged Yuuri.   
Yuuri returned the hug, letting himself melt into Viktor’s body.  
Viktor didn't care how bad Yuuri smelled; all he cared about was his instinct to protect Yuuri. He felt almost a love for him like that of an older brother, even though Yuuri didn't look to be a whole lot younger, if at all, than Viktor was.   
“You should get some sleep, Yuuri,” Viktor said, letting go of him and patting him on the shoulders. “We have an early morning.”


	7. Six

It was Yuuri who woke up first, actually. Even though he didn't get much sleep he had never felt more well-rested. He looked over at Viktor, who was still asleep. He snored quietly as he slept, making the hair that had fallen onto his face in the night flutter with every breath. He quietly giggled, watching Viktor sleep a little longer, then rolled over and put his glasses on. He looked at the digital clock. 5:15 AM, it read.   
Yuuri decided that maybe Viktor should get up now, and went over to his bed. He gently shook his shoulder.  
“It's 5:15,” he said. “Is it time to get up yet?”   
Viktor rolled over and groaned. “Why do we have to leave so early??”   
“You're the one who actually knows things about trains,” Yuuri said. “I should be asking you!”   
Viktor sat up, rubbing his eyes. Yuuri sat down next to him, putting his frayed army coat on.   
“We’ going to need some breakfast first.” Viktor leaned backwards, stretching his arms over his head. “I can't do anything until I get some coffee in me.”   
Once Viktor was dressed they went to a nearby donut shop and got some coffee and donuts for both of them.   
Viktor realized they had plenty of time to eat, so Viktor parked the rental car on a hill, where they ate breakfast as the sun crept up over the mountains.   
“What a nice morning,” Viktor said. “I wish we could just go to the park or go hiking or something.”   
“I've never had a breakfast at sunrise like this! It's so beautiful!!” Yuuri took a sip of his coffee and rolled the window down to let more breeze in. “And that air smells so good! I've never seen sunrises like this in Edison Park. The sunrises there are usually kind of gray and pink then blue, and the air smells terrible. It's just so nice out here.”   
“It really is. I actually used to do this all the time with my first boyfriend. He would come pick me up early in the morning, then we’d get breakfast, drive to the park and eat there and watch the sunrise.” Viktor stared out the windshield at the mountains. “Of course, he had seen plenty of nice sunrises before. It's different with you. Look at you, you look like a little boy on Christmas morning!”   
Yuuri’s eyes had been sparkling with wonder at seeing his first smog-free sunrise, and smelling clean air.   
“You know what, I don't even care if I look dorky,” Yuuri said, leaning back. “I love watching sunrises!!!”   
Yuuri and Viktor both laughed. Yuuri laughed from how overjoyed he was with both Viktor’s hospitality and the beautiful scenery around him, and Viktor from how happy it made him to see Yuuri happy. He also thought this, too, was just adorable.   
“It really is better with you than it was with my boyfriend,” Viktor quietly murmured, finishing off his donut.


	8. Seven

Yuuri sat on the floor of the lavatory, holding onto the handrail and listening quietly to Viktor's conversation with the engineers.   
“Yeah, it should be fine,” one of them said. “I mean, you did give Alex the keys, right?”   
“I gave him the papers the lady gave me when I got the car, too.”   
“Alex’s pretty good about that sort of thing, he'll take the car back for you. So where are you from again?”   
“South Carolina,” Viktor said. “I mean, that is where you guys are going so I figured I would go back with you all.”   
“Oh, right, dumb question,” the engineer laughed. “How long have you been at Chihoko? I've been here for about 7 years.”   
“Well, I've been here for-”   
“Hold that thought, I'm going to go use the can.” There were footsteps as the second engineer shuffled towards the lavatory.   
Yuuri felt cold fear wash over him.   
“I wouldn't go in there if I was you,” Viktor warned.   
“Yeah, I was in there earlier and I'd had a burrito last night which- ehhh, it didn't really sit well with me, so… you know what I'm saying?? It's probably still like nuclear fallout in there.”   
“This is why I hate that Chihoko doesn't let us just pee in a bottle or something,” the engineer groaned. He walked away. “Ugh. Guess I'm going to have to go on the back locomotive.” The door to the engine room slammed.   
Safe! Yuuri silently thanked Viktor, and the engineer for buying Viktor's ruse. He prayed that nobody else would try to use the lavatory.   
A few tense hours later, the train finally arrived at the rail yard.   
“Well, thank you for letting me and the crew ride back,” Viktor said, shaking the other conductor’s hand.   
“No problem, man,” he said.   
There were footsteps and then silence as they all got off the train.   
Yuuri waited patiently for Viktor to come back for a long time.   
Right as he was starting to get worried the door opened.   
“It's me, Yuuri,” Viktor called out.   
Yuuri breathed a sigh of relief, and unlocked the door and stepped out. “Where were you? I was starting to get really worried that you weren't coming back!”   
“No, Yuuri, I wouldn't leave you like that.” Viktor hugged Yuuri. “I'm sorry for scaring you. They just wouldn't let me leave! This guy kept going on and on about his daughter’s ballet recital, and it was forever before I was able to tell him that I left my keys!”   
“It's okay, Viktor,” Yuuri said. “Let's leave.”   
“Oh, right!!” Viktor said. “I've got to show you my house. You'll probably love it! Come on!”   
Viktor looked around outside to make sure there wasn't anyone out there, and made a mad dash for the parking lot with Yuuri to his pink convertible car.   
“It really does look like a Barbie car, doesn't it?” Viktor asked, unlocking the doors. Yuuri quickly got into the passenger side, looking around to see if anyone had seen him.   
“It's so nice though,” Yuuri said. “Real leather seat covers, touch screen radio, huge cup holders… light up mirrors!?” Yuuri had pulled down one of the mirror visors and clicked the light on. “Aagh! I look terrible!!! I’m gross and I look like I'm 50!” He closed the mirror visor quickly.  
“Nonsense,” Viktor said. He got into the car. “I think that for a former homeless guy you look great.”   
Viktor started the car and turned on the radio, which was tuned to a Russian pop station.   
Yuuri took in the surroundings on the drive to Viktor's house.   
They arrived at a beautiful, two story house shortly.   
“Here it is, Yuuri.” Viktor pulled into the driveway and got out. “Home.”   
Yuuri got out and looked around himself. “Okay, THIS is the nicest place I've been in an extremely long time!” He excitedly spun around, laughing.   
Without even thinking about it, Viktor put his hands around Yuuri’s waist, picked him up and spun him around. He set him down, laughing from how happy he was.   
Yuuri looked visibly confused. “What was that?”   
Viktor suddenly realized he had done that. “I'm- I'm really sorry,” he said, turning red. “I barely even knew that I- it's- it's just that you looked so happy, and I-”   
“You don't need to apologize,” Yuuri said, walking up to the door with Viktor. “I just wanted to know why you did that.”   
“Oh, like I said, you just looked really happy, and it was so…” Viktor trailed off. The only word coming to mind was “cute”, but he also didn't want to say Yuuri was cute. “You looked happy and I like seeing you happy.”   
Viktor unlocked the door. Yuuri followed him inside. Even though it was just a plain living room with couches, a TV and Xbox, and other normal furniture, it may as well have been a palace to Yuuri.   
He dove face-first into the couch, burying himself in the knit throw blanket.   
“You've got everything, Viktor!” Yuuri cried out. “Your house is so nice.”   
Makkachin, hearing his owner come home, ran up to Viktor, barking excitedly.   
“Makkachin!” Viktor squatted on the floor, patting his knees. “Come here, boy!”   
Makkachin jumped on Viktor, licking his face and shoulders excitedly.   
“I missed you, boy!! I missed you so much!” Viktor cooed, and baby-talked to Makkachin some more.   
Yuuri stood by the couch, watching them.   
Viktor looked up. “Yuuri, come on over here and pet Makkachin! He's really sweet, I think you'll like him.”  
Yuuri knelt down by Viktor and Makkachin, holding his hand out.   
“He certainly does look friendly- oh!” Yuuri laughed as Makkachin licked his hand. “No, not between the fingers!! Hahaha! That- that tickles!!”   
Makkachin flopped over onto Yuuri's legs, and made a soft contented snorting sound.   
“He really likes you, Yuuri!” Viktor said.   
As he petted Makkachin’s soft curly fur, he couldn't help but think how much he reminded him of his old dog Viktor.   
“And I really like him!”   
Makkachin was, of course, just about in heaven- he had two humans now!


	9. Eight

“So, tomorrow, I'll see about taking you to the homeless shelter,” Viktor said after he had gotten dressed for bed, and went back into the living room. “But like I said, I promise I'll visit you.”   
Yuuri, currently, was struggling to work the TV. It had been a while since he last used a TV.   
“Here, I'll help you out.” Viktor leaned over him and took the remote out of his hand. He turned on the TV. “You switch channels with this button here…”   
“Ah, I remember now! Thanks, Viktor.”   
It was then that Viktor first noticed that Yuuri didn't exactly smell great. He wrinkled his nose a bit.  
“Maybe we should get you cleaned up first, though,” he said. “One less thing they'll have to be concerned about.”  
“Yeah,” Yuuri thought aloud. “I could definitely use a bath. I mean, I know I smell bad but I've gotten really used to it because I couldn't do anything about it.”   
“Well, now you can! I'll help you get ready for it.” Viktor led him into the bathroom. After he showed Yuuri where the soap, shampoo and conditioner were, he ran some hot bath water for him.   
Yuuri started taking off his jacket, beanie and shirt.  
“Okay, I'll get out of your hair now,” Viktor said, covering his eyes and walking towards the door.  
“We're both guys,” Yuuri said. “And… well… I'm embarrassed to say it but I kinda don't remember how I'm supposed to wash my hair. I remember the rest, just not that.”   
“Oh… okay,” Viktor said, as Yuuri got into the bath.   
He sighed contentedly. Just the water on his body made him feel so much better.   
“All right, now the first thing you need to do is get your hair wet…” Viktor said.   
Yuuri leaned back in the tub and dipped his long, black hair in the water. He sat up, water dripping from his hair. “Okay… is this it?” he asked.  
“No, I've still got to put the shampoo in your hair!” Viktor laughed a little as he squeezed some tea tree shampoo onto Yuuri's head. He worked the shampoo through his hair with his fingers, committing the way his hair felt in his hands to memory. In that moment Viktor felt like he was at peace with the world, just washing Yuuri's hair like nothing else mattered.   
Yuuri felt so relaxed as Viktor washed his hair. Just thinking about how nice he was being put his mind at ease, as did the physical massaging. Yuuri's abstract caring feelings for Viktor that he'd known he'd had pretty much the whole time, whether they were love, friendship or something else entirely, were intensified by this intimate action.   
As for Viktor, he had never done this before, giving a man a bath, but it felt right to do this to Yuuri. As Yuuri rinsed his hair, Viktor looked at him and softly sighed contentedly. All he wanted to do was surround him in his comfort and love and protect him. Like Yuuri, he couldn't put a specific label on his feelings but he knew he cared about him a lot.   
That sigh… the look in his eyes… the fact that Yuuri was naked…   
Even though Viktor had said he wasn't looking for a relationship, it sure looked like he was starting to fall for him a little bit. And once Yuuri realized that, the feeling of Viktor's hands took on a new meaning. He felt like he was melting into his touch…   
“I can help you with the, uh… the rest, too…” Viktor offered while Yuuri rinsed the conditioner out of his hair.  
“I've… I've got it, thanks…” Yuuri reddened at the thought of Viktor washing the rest of his body too. He finished up with the bath himself, but he noticed that Viktor never took his eyes off of him the whole time, which just made him blush even more.   
Yuuri stepped out of the bathtub, looking at himself in the full-length mirror.  
“Wow, I look so much better now! And smell better too now, I had gotten so used to the smell that I didn't notice it until it was gone,” he said.   
Viktor went and fetched Yuuri a big towel from the closet, which he then wrapped himself in.   
“This towel is so soft!” Yuuri practically squealed. “It's even better than the ones we used to have back home.”  
“I also got you some clean boxers and a T-shirt for you to sleep in, Yuuri,” Viktor said. “I can wash your clothes tonight.”   
“Thanks, Viktor… I still can't believe you're being so nice to me.” He took the clothes and put them on. They felt a lot better against his body than his old, ragged clothes did, even though they were a little too big.   
“Why not?” Viktor asked. “I couldn't just kick you out when I saw you. Oh, by the way, you can sleep on the folding couch if you want.”   
“Okay, thanks,” Yuuri said.  
“I think I'll go on to bed now…” Viktor didn't move.  
“Yeah… uh… good night?” Yuuri stared back at Viktor, who did nothing but look upon him with some kind of appreciation for him.  
Viktor moved towards Yuuri and wrapped him in a hug, running his hand down through his hair.   
“Hm…….. good night, Yuuri,” Viktor sighed.  
Anxious and excited, Yuuri returned his hug, then went and laid down on the couch bed. He bundled himself up with the blankets Viktor gave him and fell asleep.


	10. Nine

“Yuuri, get up!” Viktor stood over Yuuri, gently shaking him. “Let's go.”   
He opened his eyes lazily.   
“Come on, let's get you changed and fed so we can go. I've already washed the clothes you came here in and put them in the laundry room, and I guess I could make you some eggs or something.”   
“That sounds great,” Yuuri replied, moving off towards the laundry room. While Yuuri changed his clothes, Viktor put the folding couch back up and started making some scrambled eggs and toast for Yuuri.   
Yuuri stepped out of the laundry room, almost disappointed. Last night, when he borrowed Viktor’s clothes, he had almost looked like a normal person; now, though, he looked like he was homeless again, dressed in these rags. He noticed Viktor was making breakfast, and decided to help him by doing the toast.   
Once the food was done they ate together, Viktor curiously silent the whole time. He watched Yuuri eat, a somber look on his face.   
Yuuri felt like he should have asked what was wrong, but decided against it, and so the awkward silence continued all the way up through them getting in the car and leaving.   
Viktor slowed the car down as they approached the homeless shelter. He stared out the window forlornly, then at Yuuri for a long time.  
Viktor snapped his eyes back to the road, hit the accelerator and drove away.  
“Uh, Viktor?” Yuuri asked, looking behind them, his long hair flying into his face. “Viktor, we missed the turn! We passed right by it!”   
“I know what I'm doing!” Viktor replied.   
He drove with Yuuri, down some side streets and out into uptown… then right back to his house.  
“Why are we back here?” Yuuri asked as Viktor pulled into the driveway.  
Viktor turned to look at Yuuri, a soft, almost alluring look in his eyes. “Yuuri, I don't want to say goodbye to you. I like you way too much for that. Will you be my roommate, Yuuri? You can live here and I can take care of you and everything.” Nobody could have said no to those half-closed, sincere teal eyes.   
I can take care of you and everything. That sentence resonated in Yuuri's head like wedding bells. And he thought he was flustered at Viktor giving him a bath.   
“Y- well, I- ye- y- yes!” Yuuri somehow managed to stammer out.   
“Oh, wonderful!!” Viktor hugged Yuuri, who let himself melt into the embrace. “I just really wanted to stay with you is all… oh, it's even better now. Because now I can help you with stuff like finding jobs… and remembering how to do the stuff that people with homes do, now that you've got an actual residence. I'm so glad we're friends, Yuuri.”   
There wasn't any doubt about it, Yuuri had fallen for Viktor. Unfortunately Viktor was sending mixed signals… one minute saying something oddly romantic and/or suggestive, then following it up with a declaration of platonic kindness.


	11. Ten

This couldn't go on any longer. Yuuri had lived with Viktor for almost a year now, with Viktor taking care of him and buying him clothes and food when he wasn't working… but he still hadn't told Viktor how he felt about him. How he cared about him in more than just a platonic way. He knew he really loved him but he didn't have the courage to tell him. At the same time though, he couldn't just sit there and not actively seek a relationship with him.   
So one day when Viktor came home from work, he just knew he had to tell him how he really felt.   
“Yuuri, I'm home! Finally…” Viktor slumped down into the couch as Makkachin excitedly greeted him with lots of kisses.   
“Hi, Viktor…” Yuuri sheepishly said, and sat down next to him.  
“Wow… you know we had to go to Canada, right? Well, half of our shipment was Angus cattle! I hate unloading cattle! It's so exhausting!! And we had to be out there every day…” Viktor sighed, and held Makkachin. “At least I'm home.”   
“That sounds bad…” Yuuri said. He took a deep breath and tried not to freak out. “Viktor? There's… there's something I need to tell you.”  
“What? What's wrong, Yuuri?” Viktor leaned in, listening intently.  
“The… the truth is, Viktor… I- I've-”  
Viktor’s phone interrupted him.  
“Oh, this is work, I'd better take that…” He answered the phone and walked outside to talk, leaving Yuuri alone with his thoughts… and Makkachin, who could just tell something was wrong. He snuggled up to Yuuri in an effort to comfort him. Yuuri gathered his thoughts and mentally went over how he was going to tell Viktor.   
He finally came back in much later, looking stressed out.  
“So, Viktor?” Yuuri said.  
Viktor grabbed his keys and his vest. “They asked me to come up and talk to them…” He looked at Yuuri with an utterly defeated expression. “And bring the homeless man.”  
“What- are they talking about me?” Yuuri asked.   
“They found out, Yuuri. I don't know how but they found out about me letting you on the train,” Viktor said.   
Yuuri hugged Viktor, knowing that Viktor was just as scared as he was.   
“Does this mean they're going to fire you, Viktor?” Yuuri asked, looking up at him. “Are we both going to end up on the street??” Yuuri was on the verge of hyperventilating.   
Viktor held Yuuri tightly to him. “We're not going to end up on the street, I promise. It's okay, Yuuri. We'll be okay.”


	12. Eleven

Yakov Feltsman, Viktor's boss and one of the most no-nonsense, toughest people in charge at Chihoko Shipping, tapped a pen on his desk impatiently, staring down the conductor and (formerly) homeless guy across the desk from him.   
“Do you even know why we have that rule here, Viktor? That pesky little rule that all Chihoko Shipping Lines employees must abide by?” Yakov finally asked.   
“Because-” Viktor started.  
Yakov slammed his fist on the table. “Because we can't have just any jerk off the streets of Edison Park come in here and fool around with our property! And especially our locomotives! What if he had tried to drive the train??” He turned the monitor around, showing the two men some security camera footage from one of the locomotives. “Do you gentlemen remember what happened on this day?”   
“That's-” Yuuri started to say.   
“I didn't ask for comments from the peanut gallery!” Yakov shouted, pointing a calloused finger in Yuuri's direction. “Nikiforov, answer my question!”   
“That's… that's when I found him on the boxcar and let him stay,” he sadly answered, as he watched himself on the camera, ushering Yuuri into the cabin and him searching for a place to hide.   
“You don't see the significance, do you?” Yakov said. “Chihoko policy indicates that any stowaways should be removed from the property and what did you do? You brought him into the locomotive, not only once, but twice!!!!” Yakov flipped to the security camera footage from the second time Yuuri was on the train, showing Yuuri sneaking into the lavatory.  
“Yes, but Mr. Feltsman, I-”   
He interrupted Viktor. “I don't want to hear your excuses!!! Rescuing a homeless man, that's all well and good. Housing him on one of our locomotives, that's completely unacceptable. There's really not anything else I can do. I'm sorry, Viktor. Hand over your vest.”   
“Why are you firing him??” Yuuri asked. “He did something great and selfless! Why-”   
Viktor put his hand on Yuuri's shoulder. “You can't change his mind. The company policies are his Bible. We'll just have to go somewhere else.”   
A petrified and indignant Yuuri was led out by an equally disappointed Viktor.   
“You- you got fired,” Yuuri said. “So now what? We're going to be poor again!!”  
“Yuuri, relax…” Viktor said. “It's okay. We'll just have to go somewhere else. I'm going to get another job. We can pay the bills still. I'm disappointed that Chihoko fired me too, but it's not the end of the world.”   
“Well… can I just say… he has the most nose hair out of all the old Russian guys I've seen?” Yuuri said over a laugh and sniffled a little.   
Viktor laughed as they left the building. “He sure does! It's like a mini-mustache or something!! How did I not notice all that??”   
“Why did they wait so long?” Yuuri asked. “It's a year after the fact.”   
“Yakov works in mysterious ways… but what's done is done. Honestly I didn't like him much anyway.” Viktor said.   
It had been an eventful day, but Yuuri still felt like he should tell Viktor how he felt anyway when they got home, because he just couldn't hold it back any longer.   
As Viktor looked at his computer, comparing jobs, Yuuri approached him, terrified out of his mind.  
“Viktor? I- I really need to tell you something…” he said.   
Viktor turned around. “Yes?”  
Yuuri took a deep breath. “Viktor, I can't lie to myself anymore,” he said. “I think… I think I've developed… well, feelings for you. I've finally figured out the abstract feelings of appreciation I've had for you for a long time… it's love, Viktor. Love. And I know you said you don't want a relationship but I guess… I thought you should know.”   
Viktor was stunned. Such a bold statement from someone he would have thought would be too shy to ever come forward with something like that. Yuuri retreated slowly into the hall, looking terrified.   
“I'm sorry… that was really… I'm…” Yuuri said.   
Viktor got up and followed him into the hall.   
“No, wait, Yuuri.” Viktor put a hand on Yuuri's waist. “You didn't step over any lines. In fact…”   
Viktor's other hand cupped Yuuri's chin. He kissed Yuuri on the lips.  
It felt like Yuuri had finally been woken up. That kiss was like a surge of energy flowing through his body.  
“... I think I’ve felt the same way too. I mean, I must not have realized it, but now that you say it, I figured my feelings out too. I must have thought I didn’t want love, but really, I’ve been kinda lonely without a boyfriend. I think I’m ready to start dating again, Yuuri,” Viktor said after they parted.  
“You really think so?” he asked.  
“I hate to say it, but I think maybe I was attracted to you and that… well, that might have influenced my actions a little. I mean, it probably wasn’t all, but you… you were just so beautiful I couldn’t help but take you in, even if it meant I’d get fired. In fact, I was almost positive I was going to get caught. I’m impressed that it didn’t happen for as long as it did.” Viktor put an arm around Yuuri’s waist. “But am I ever glad I took that risk. And I think I might want to take this risk too.”  
“Love is a risk...but honestly it’s one I really want to take too,” Yuuri said.


	13. Twelve

“Hey, Yuuri, look!” Viktor called out from the computer.  
Yuuri came running in and looked at the open web page. The top part said “Tiger Point Railways”.   
“So I found this great job for myself, at a passenger rail line that serves this area, and I think you should call them too, Yuuri,” Viktor said, pointing at the phone number. “They’re always looking for stewards, if nothing else.”  
Yuuri smiled as Viktor punched the number in on his phone. Yuuri put the phone up to his head.  
“Tiger Point Railways, hiring department, this is Hiroko speaking, how may I help you?”  
That voice… there was something familiar about it… it was probably just his imagination. She did have the same name as his mom though, but Yuuri decided it must have been a coincidence.  
“Yes, I wanted to come in and apply for a job,” Yuuri said, looking at the site. “Your site said it’s by appointment only, right?”  
“Yes, that’s correct… looks like we can pencil you in next Thursday. Can I get your name?” There was rustling on the other end as she got her planner out.  
“It’s Yuuri Katsuki. Do you need me to spell-”   
The only sound on the other end was a pencil dropping.  
“Did you say… Yuuri Katsuki…? But… it couldn’t be… that’s… my son’s-” Hiroko started to say.  
“Mom!” Yuuri cried out, overjoyed.  
“Oh, Yuuri!! I- I thought you… I- my God, I’m just so happy to hear your voice again!” Hiroko was just about on the verge of tears, and so was Yuuri. “Once you stopped calling us on the payphone at the diner… I assumed the worst, but… but now…”  
“No, no, I just ran out of money and ended up on the street, but I’m- I’m okay now!” Yuuri was barely able to talk now. “I’m not homeless anymore! I can’t wait to tell you the story…”  
“I’ve got to tell your father and Mari… you know what, where are you? I’m going to ask them to let me off early and I’ll come right over there!”  
“Viktor, can you give my mom directions?” Yuuri held the phone out to Viktor. He felt like his heart was going to burst… he found his mom again!   
Viktor gave Hiroko directions, which she frantically wrote down as she wiped tears of joy from her eyes. Once she got off the phone with Viktor, and said goodbye to Yuuri, she didn’t waste any time leaving work early and contacting the rest of Yuuri’s immediate family.


	14. Thirteen (End)

Yuuri looked out the window anxiously, and ran a hand through his now-shorter hair. He’d asked Viktor to cut his hair and help him shave for the occasion.   
“I just can’t wait until they get here… I don’t think I’ve ever felt this much anticipation before!!”   
Yuuri and Viktor anxiously paced as they waited until Yuuri’s parents and sister got there...until there was finally a knock at the door.  
Yuuri ran as fast as he could to answer the door.  
His mom was standing closest to the door, with his dad and sister behind her.  
They all gasped.  
Hiroko reached up and traced her hand along Yuuri’s face. “You… you still look exactly the same as you did before you left…” She hugged Yuuri tightly, crying. Toshiya and Mari then joined in, also crying.   
Yuuri let go of them a few minutes later. “Please, come in, I have to tell you the story of how I got here!” Yuuri said, remembering. He stepped aside to let his family in. “And I've got to introduce you to Viktor…”  
“It's so nice to meet you all, he's told me so much about you guys! I'm Viktor, Yuuri's boyfriend.” He shook their hands.  
“You got a boyfriend? That's wonderful!” Toshiya said.  
“I think we're all pretty anxious to hear your story of how you went from homeless to living in a nice house with him,” Hiroko said.   
“Okay, so I had to stay in Edison Park, as you already know…” Yuuri recounted his entire tale, from the night he got into the boxcar, all the way up to Viktor getting fired from Chihoko Shipping Lines. His family, and Viktor too, were hanging on every word.   
“... And Viktor knew we still had to pay the bills somehow so he suggested we both get jobs at Tiger Point, and who answered the phone but Mom??” Yuuri finished the story.   
“That's amazing, Yuuri!!” Mari said. “I mean, it sounds dangerous, but it's so exciting and I'm so glad it all worked out! And you got yourself a guy out of the whole thing.”   
“Viktor, you're such a sweet young man…” Hiroko said, once again overwhelmed with gratitude. “Thank you for taking care of my son and helping him. I'm very proud he's dating you.”   
“I wish there were more people like you,” Toshiya thought out loud.   
“Yuuri said the exact same thing,” Viktor chuckled. “Thank you, really. Ohhhh… I just remembered, I still haven't made my appointment…”  
Hiroko waved her hand dismissively. “No need, I'll handle the paperwork myself. Just let me know what you both want to do and when you can work.”  
“Oh, Mrs. Katsuki, you don't need to trouble yourself-” Viktor started.  
“I insist. Anything for my son and his boyfriend,” she said. “I'll make sure they find a spot for both of you.”   
“Thank you so much, Mom!!” Yuuri hugged Hiroko.  
“So what's happened with you guys after I fell out of touch with you?”   
“I ended up meeting this rich guy from California, and we just got married!” Mari held up her hand, displaying her wedding ring.  
Yuuri groaned. “I missed my sister’s wedding and didn't even get to meet the guy??”   
“Don't worry, Mom and Dad took tons of pictures and when you go to our country manor you can meet him. His name is Adam and he got rich from both starting his own huge wine business and he inherited a bunch of money, plus all that property, from his family. They did real estate or something,” Mari said. “He actually gave me a share of his company!! Can you believe it? He's so nice…”  
“Anyway, Mari sent us some of her money from the business. I used my share of it to open a restaurant, almost across the whole state, in this suburb of Sawyer City,” Toshiya explained. “And you know what? Turns out I'm not bad at cooking.”  
“Oh, you- of course you're great at cooking! You're the one who went to culinary school!” Hiroko shot back. “And me? I worked with Toshiya in his restaurant for a while but I realized I didn't like it. I wanted to try something new. So I decided to try working at Tiger Point. I do just have an office job right now but hopefully they'll let me move up and I'll get to go on the trains or even make the schedules myself! All those years of cleaning up after two wonderful kids have really honed my organizational skills. Especially when you've got a little boy who insisted that shoving everything under the bed counted as cleaning then two seconds later complained about not being able to find his favorite book.”   
“I don't do that anymore, Mom,” Yuuri said, rolling his eyes and laughing a little.   
“I really want to invite you and Viktor over to our house too,” Toshiya said. “He hasn't tried our world-famous pork cutlet bowls, has he?”  
Yuuri smacked his forehead. “I can't believe I never made that for him!” he cried. “Actually, wait, I don't remember the recipe anyway.”   
“That's okay, when you come over we can show you how to again,” Hiroko said.   
This all sounded wonderful to Viktor- being a conductor again, countryside manors, pork cutlet bowls… and the entire time, Yuuri would be right beside him. Just as it was meant to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, it's Sunny again. Thank you so much for reading this fanfic. If you liked it let me know! And if you didn't like it then please tell me what I can do better next fanfic I write.   
> Once again, I don't own the YOI characters, this is just a fanfic I wrote for fun.


End file.
